Boston: Mayor Michelle Wu Announces Community Watch Parties

Mayor Michelle Wu announced that the City of Boston will host six community watch parties for residents, families, and visitors this summer. Together with the FIFA Fan Festival hosted by Boston 26, these neighborhood celebrations will bring the excitement, energy, and spirit of the World Cup directly into communities across Boston.

"Boston is proud to welcome the world this summer, and these watch parties will help bring the excitement and spirit of the World Cup directly into our communities," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "These free, family-friendly events give residents throughout our neighborhoods the chance to celebrate the games close to home—cheering together, sharing cultures, and being part of a historic moment for our City."

From Dorchester to East Boston, Roxbury to Charlestown, neighborhoods across the city are already buzzing with anticipation as Boston prepares to host seven FIFA World Cup matches this summer. Mayor Wu's community watch parties are one way to help ensure that the excitement, celebration, and opportunity associated with this summer's historic events extend into every neighborhood, giving residents the chance to celebrate the tournament in their own way.

"Soccer has always been a way for communities to come together, celebrate culture, and build connections across neighborhoods and generations," said City Councilor At-Large Ruthzee Louijeune. "These watch parties will create joyful, welcoming spaces where families, residents, and visitors from every background can experience the excitement of the World Cup together. In a city as diverse and vibrant as Boston, it's important that the energy and opportunities surrounding this global event are felt not only downtown, but in every neighborhood across our city."

The City is able to host various watch parties after receiving official approval from FOX on our FIFA World Cup 2026 Public Viewing Event applications. The selected matches reflect communities with strong cultural ties and large diasporas across Boston, including Cabo Verdean, Haitian, Colombian, Brazilian and Portuguese communities.

Each watch party will feature a large viewing screen, live music, family-friendly activities, face painting, food vendors, and community programming for residents and visitors of all ages to enjoy. The events will also provide opportunities to support Boston's small businesses and local vendors throughout the tournament.

"As a community leader in Boston, I am deeply excited and proud to see the City of Boston creating spaces for communities to come together and celebrate the World Cup through public watch parties," said Ruth Georges, Haitian community leader. "For Haitians across Boston, Haiti's return to the world stage for the first time since 1974 is an emotional and historic moment that represents resilience, culture, pride, and the enduring spirit of the Haitian people. This is bigger than soccer — it is about visibility, unity, and creating opportunities for Haitian families, youth, and communities across the diaspora to celebrate our heritage alongside the American and Caribbean communities that make Boston so vibrant and diverse. To witness Haiti's historic return in a city like Boston makes this moment even more meaningful, powerful, and unforgettable. To our community and supporters, Grenadye alaso!"

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"It's exciting to see the City of Boston creating opportunities for communities with connections to World Cup teams to come together, celebrate their cultures, and strengthen community ties," said Miguel Vargas, President of Bajucol, an East Boston-based Colombian folkloric dance troupe. "Events like these not only bring people together through soccer, but also create meaningful opportunities to support local businesses and highlight the diversity that makes neighborhoods like East Boston so special."

"Soccer has a unique ability to bring people together across cultures, languages, and neighborhoods, and these community watch parties are a beautiful reflection of that spirit," said Caroline K. Foscato, President and Founder of Soccer Unity Project. "We are incredibly grateful to the Mayor for the City's longstanding partnership with Soccer Unity Project on the Boston Unity Cup, one of Boston's most ethnically diverse events, uniting communities through the global game. We also thank the City of Boston for stepping up during this once-in-a-lifetime moment to use soccer as a vehicle for residents to celebrate together and build unity with their friends, families, and neighbors by sharing the joy and energy of the World Cup throughout the city - especially in the communities that so love football (soccer) but may not always have access to the game. These events will help ensure that every neighborhood feels connected to this historic moment for Boston and for the game of soccer."

Below is a list of free, family-friendly watch parties the City is hosting:

Watch Party #1 - Spain vs. Cabo Verde

Monday, June 15 | 1:00 PM ET

Town Field, Dorchester

Watch Party #2 - Brazil vs. Haiti

Friday, June 19 | 9:00 PM ET

Parkman Bandstand, Boston Common

Watch Party #3 - Colombia vs. Portugal

Saturday, June 27 | 7:30 PM ET

East Boston Memorial Stadium

Watch Party #4 - FIFA World Cup Semi Final

Tuesday, July 14 | 3:00 PM ET

Location to be announced at a later date

Watch Party #5 - FIFA World Cup Semi Final

Wednesday, July 15 | 3:00 PM ET

Location to be announced at a later date

Watch Party #6 - FIFA World Cup Final

Sunday, July 19 | 3:00 PM ET

Location to be announced at a later date

In addition to the community watch parties the City is encouraging residents to celebrate this historic summer in ways that reflect the unique character of their own neighborhoods and communities. Earlier this spring, the City launched both the Summer Block Party Grant Program and the Office of Cultural Affairs Mini Grant Program to support community-led celebrations, cultural events, and neighborhood gatherings connected to the summer's major events. The City also received financial support from the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism for the watch parties. These programs are designed to help ensure residents across Boston can celebrate in ways that are meaningful, accessible, and reflective of their communities.

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The City of Boston continues to partner with The Boston Host Committee (Boston 26) for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ to ensure residents, families, and visitors are connected to exciting events and programming throughout the upcoming tournament. For more details on the FIFA Fan Festival™, please visit the official FIFA World Cup 2026™ website or the Boston 26 website.

Residents and visitors are encouraged to support local businesses during the tournament and explore the City's Neighborhood Business Guide and summer programming at boston.gov/summer.

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